Method of producing letterpress planographic-printing plates.



1 A. L. SALTZMAN.

METHOD or PRODUCING LETTERPRESS PLANOGRAPHIG PRINTING PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED PEBJO, 1906. RENEWED APR.,30, 1910.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

2 sums-sum 1.

delivered into more thaT s .1 r a S m m v E B h T 90 per cent of thewhite delivered into more than 0., WASHINGTON, n. q,

A. L. SALTZMAN. METHOD OF PRODUOING LETTBRPRESS PLANOGRAPHIG PRINTINGPLATES. APPLICATION FILED FEBJO, 1906. RENEWED APR. 30, 1910. 979, 90.Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Witnesses j Inventor.

TATES in are.

AUGUSTE I. SALTZMAN, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICANPLANOGRAPH COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

METHOD OF PRODUCING LETTERPRESS PLANOGR-API-IIC-PRINTING PLATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 10, 1906, SerialNo. 300,382. Renewed April30, 1910. Serial No. 558,654.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUoUsrE L. SALTZMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of ProducingLetterpress Planographic-Printing Plates, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to printing plates and more especially toletter-press plano graphic printing plates.

Objects of the invention are to provide a method for producing aprinting plate of the character indicated of excellent quality, saidmethod also providing the desirable. latitude and flexibility in themaking of desired changes and corrections without manipulating ormarring the surface of the finished plate.

These and other objects of invention will in part be obvious and will inpart more fully appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel steps, methods and improvementsherein set forth.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and forming a part hereof,illustrate one manner of carrying out certain steps in the methodcomprised in the invention.

:Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents a transfer surface upon whichletter-press matter has been placed in line series in a suitabletransfer medium; Fig. 2 represents the transfer surface as having beenbrought into definite relation with a planographic printing plate andthe letter-press matter having been transferred to the surface of saidplate; Fig. 3 represents the taking of impressions from the saidplanographic printing plate; Fig. 1 represents a series of transfer linebars which have been brought into definite relation with the said plateand the impressing of a line of characters upon each of the said barsfrom the plate; Fig. 5

shows a line strip transfer surface detachably attached to a linesupport; Fig. 6 represents a transfer surface upon which lines ofcharacters in which changes have been made have been placed; Fig. 7represents a series of transfer surface line bars assembled into a formand held in a chase; Fig. 8 represents a unitary planographic platereceiving a transfer impression from the said series of line bars; Fig.9 shows the transfer surfaces adherent upon the surface of'the plateafter having been released from their line bar supports; Fig. 10represents the letter-press matter transferred to the planographic plateand the line strips in process of removal; Fig. 11 illustrates afour-page form made up of transfer surface line bars; Fig. 12 indicatesthe transferring of the matter from such a form to a unitaryplanographic plate; and Fig. 13 represents a unitary planographic platecarrying a fourpage form of letter-press matter, said plate being readyfor placing on a press.

So far as the present invention is concerned, the manner in which theletter-press matter is placed upon the initial transfer surface isimmaterial. It is very advantageous, however, to place composed matterin justified lines upon a suitable transfer surface in a suitable mediumby means of machines, a machine well adapted for doing this beingdisclosed in application for United States Letters Patent No. 7 6,7 83,filed by Charles T. Moore on September 27, 1901.

It is convenient in many cases to take but a single original impressionof letter-press matter from the composing or typographic machine,certain kinds of such machines requiring the use of two machines or ofdouble the time with one machine to get two impressions and so on. Thepresent method contemplates the securing of a plurality of proofimpressions from a single original transfer impression and also theproviding of the desirable latitude and elasticity in making changes soas to bring the matter into the desired final form for placing it uponthe final printing plate.

The invention contemplates as one of its features the transfer of thematter from the original transfer surface to a temporary planographicplate and the making of impressions therefrom upon line strip transfersurfaces carried upon a suitable line support or line bar. By thustaking an impression of the said letter-press matter upon a series oftransfer surface line bars it is possible to make all changes forplacing the matter in the desired final form with rapidity and facilityand without making changes in, or injuring. the surface of the finalprinting plate. By the use of the temporary planographic platc, ascontemplated by the invention, any desired number of impressions may betaken to be used for the reading of proof,

revlsing, or for other purposes.

7 letter-press matter to the plate.

The invention contemplates also as one of its features the recompositionof such lines as it is desired to make changes in and their treatment ina manner similar to the original transfer surface carrying theletter-press matter as outlined. It will thus be seen that the line barsproduced from the successive transfer surfaces may be substituted foreach other, combined, or transposed so as to bring the matter into thedesired final form, and when in such desired final form the matter maythen be transferred to a final unitary printing plate, which plate maybe prepared for printing planographically. By an extension of the methodit may be made to include any number of proof corrections, revises andre-revises, as may be necessary in securing the desired final form ofthe letter-press matter.

As one of its features the invention contemplates the bringing of thetransfer surface line strips and the lines upon thetemporary'planographic plate into such relation that the line ofcharacters may be re ceived in a definite relation upon each of thetransfer surface line strips and with this in View, in the manner ofcarrying" out certain steps of the invention illustrated herein, theoriginal transfer surface is brought into a definite relation to thetemporary planographic plate before the transfer of the letter-pressmatter from the transfer surface to the plate and the line bars are alsobrought into a corresponding relation to the said plate to receive thelines of characters in the desired and predetermined relation.

Referring to the drawings herewith which, as previously stated,illustrate one method of'carrying out certain steps of the methodincluded in the invention, a transfer surface adapted toreceiv-eletter-press matter in a suitable medium is indicated by the referencenumeral 1, the letter-press matter being shown thereon in line series.For the purpose of illustrating certain features of the invention,certain lines carried by the said transfer surface 1, as illustrated inthis figure, are shown containing errors which will need correctionbefore the matter is in the desired final form, one of the said linescontaining an error is indicated by the reference numeral 2 and theother by the reference numeral 3.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings aplanographic printing plate is indicated bythe reference numeral 4:, which plate will be styled herein thetemporary planographic printing plate. The transfer surface 1 is shownin contact with said plate just after the transfer of the The transferoperation is performed in a manner known to the art. The surfacesusually employed for this purpose comprise generally a flexible poroussupport carrying upon its surface a soluble, moisture-attracting coatingwhich is well adapted to take a clear and sharp impression oftypographic matter impressed thereon in a suitable medium such aslithographic transfer ink. By subjecting the two surfaces to pressurewhile in contact the transfer medium in which the characters areimpressed upon the transfer surface adhere strongly also to theplanographic surface, and upon the application of moisture to theporoussupporting member of the transfer surface, the soluble coatingbreaks down or melts away leaving the characters adherent upon theplanographic surface. The supporting member is then stripped ofi theplate leaving the plate with the letter-press matter disposed upon itand the plate ready to be prepared for printing planographically.

It is convenient in carrying out the method to have the transfer surfaceline strips adhere to the final printing plate 17 in delivering theimpression but they should not adhere to the plate 4: in receiving theimpression. A suitable kind of transfer paper may be provided by which adry transfer may be taken from the plate 4, without the transfer paperadhering to the said plate, and the said transfer surfaces may then bedamped before being brought into contact with the plate 17 so that theywill adhere to the said plate when released from their supports. Asheretofore indicated, the bringing of the said transfer surface and. theplate into a definite relation just prior to the transfer operation iscontemplated with a view to the impressing of the lines of charactersupon a series of transfer surface line strips at a later step in themethod. A particular form of means for efiecting this is shown herein ascomprising registering means carried by the transfer surface 1 in adefinite relation to at least one of the lines of characters uponv thesaid surface and as also embodying registering devices carried upon theplate, the said devices being of a form suitable to cooperate for thepurpose of bringing the transfer surface into the 110 properpredetermined relation with the plate.

As herein shown the registering devices carried by the transfer surface1 bear a definite relation to each end of the line and are shown as alsobearing a definite relation to 115 each line upon the surface. Suchdevices are in the form of perforations 5 located at each end of each ofthe lines. Suitable marks, herein shown as cross lines 6, are made uponhe plate for the purpose of cooperating with 1 the said perforations 5in the transfer surface 1. By bringing the junction of two cross linesdirectly beneath the perforation at each end of the line, accurateregister for the entire sheet may be obtained.

After the transfer operation is completed the plate 4 is prepared forprinting plano gra hically in a well-known manner as by etching, gummingand inking. Any desired number of impressions may then be taken 130 fromthe plate for use in the reading of proof or for any other desiredpurpose. In Fig. 3 of the drawings an impression-receiving surface 7 isshown as being pulled off the plate 4 after having received animpression therefrom.

The bringing of the plate 4 into a definite relation with a series oftransfer surface line strips so that each line of characters upon theplate may be impressed upon a line strip transfer surface iscontemplated by the invention. In Fig. 4 of the drawings the plate 4 isshown in contact with a series of transfer surface line strips carriedupon suitable supports 9 to Which the transfer surface line strips aredetachably attached. For convenience the series of line bars areassembled and locked in a chase in order to keep them in definiteposition with respect to each other, such a chase being shown in thesaid figure and being indicated by the reference numeral 10. The plate 1is brought into a definite relation to the line strips in the series inorder that each line of characters may go down in its proper positionupon the corresponding line strip. The particular means of registeringthe plate with the said line strip shown in the said figure comprisepins 11 located in the sides of the chase and against which the platemay be positioned during the transfer operation. Suitable pressure isapplied to the surfaces by any convenient means, a form of such meansbeing shown herein as a roller 12 passing over the surface of the plate4 while the chase is resting upon a support.

The changes desired to be made in the letter-press matter as originallycomposed or placed upon the transfer surface 1 may be indicated uponproof sheet impressions taken from the temporary planographic plate 1and such lines of matter as involve changes of any kind may then berecomposed or imprinted upon a transfer surface. In the illustratedinstance the lines indicated by the reference numerals 2 and 3,respectively, would be recomposed and in Fig. 6 of the drawings theyareshown as recomposed with the errors eliminated, the corrected linesbeingindicated by the reference numerals 14 and 15. The transfer surface13 may then be subjected to the same steps as the transfer surface 1, asjust described herein resulting in one or more impressions upon a seriesof line strip transfer surfaces. In the illustrated instance, to bringthe letter-press matter to the desired final form, the lines 14 and 15,as carried upon the line strip transfer surfaces and their supports.would be substituted for the lines 2 and 3 in the original series ofline strip transfer surfaces and their supports.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings a series of line strip transfer surfaces withtheir supports are shown as assembled into a form, a suit able chase 16being employed to retain them in their proper relative position. Theletter-press matter being upon transfer surfaces and in its desiredfinal form, it is then ready for transfer direct to the finalplanographic plate.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings the plano graphic plate 17 is shown in contactwith the face of the series of transfer surface line strips. Pressure isapplied to the said surfaces in a suitable manner as by the roller 18shown in the said figure. The line strip transfer surfaces are thendetached from their supports and will be left adherent upon the plate 17as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The transfer operation may then becompleted by the application to the transfer surfaces of moisture, andif desired pressure also, and the said surfaces may then be removed fromthe plate in any suitable manner, for instance as shown in Fig. 10 ofthe drawings leaving the lines of characters impressed upon the plate.The said plate may then be prepared for printing planographically in amanner known to the art, as by etching, gumming and inking. The plate isthen suitable for insertion upon a rapid press and for givingimpressions by successive dampings and ink lngs.

Suitable means for detachably attaching the line strip transfer surfaces8 to the supports 9 are contemplated and one form thereof is illustratedherein. In Fig. 5 of the drawings spring clamps 19 are shown holding thestrips 8 at each end of the support 9, the support 9 being also providedwith longitudinal alining faces 20 at each end of the support. Means arealso provided for conveniently and quickly actuating the clamps 19 so asto release the strips 8 from their support when adherent upon the plate.Any suitable means for doing this may be employed sofar as concernscertain features of the invention, but according to other featuresthereof it is contemplated to provide such means carried by the chaseand the form of such means herein shown comprises rotatable shafts 21carried in the frame of the chase 16 and having eccentric or camportions which, upon rotation of the shafts 21, will contact with thetails of the clamps 19 and swing them out of contact with the surfaces8. The surfaces 8 are thus left adherent to the plate 17 and free topass away from their supports when the plate is removed.

The method contemplates the making up of forms of any extent and inFigs. 11, 12 and 13 of the drawings the use of the transfer surface linestrips in making up a fourpage form is illustrated. The successive pagesof the form, which will not necessarily be the successive pages of thecomposed matter, as is well understood, are indicated by the referencenumerals 22 to 25 inclusive. The said form is shown as locked up in achase 26 and means for detaching the transfer surface line strips fromtheir supports are provided, such means being shown as of the same formhereinbefore described. In Figs. 11 and 12 the said means are indicatedby the reference numeral 27. In Fig. 12 of the drawings a planographicplate 28 is shown properly registered with respect to the pages or formby means of the registering pins 29 and pressure is shown as beingapplied to the said surfaces by means of the roller 80. Any suitablepressure means, of course, may be used. In Fig. 13 of the drawings theplate 28 is shown with the letter-press matter transferred thereto,after which the plate may be prepared for printing planographically andplaced upon a rotary or other press for the purpose of securing anydesired impressions therefrom.

From all the foregoing it will be understood that a method has beenprovided which realizes the objects and advantages herein set forth,together with other objects and advantages.

The invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to the particularmanner of carrying out the steps of the method illustrated herein, norto any particular manner of carrying out such steps, as changes may bemade therein without departing from the principles of the invention.

What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is:

1. The method of producing a letterpress planographic printing platewhich comprises placing letter-press matter in alined lines upon atransfer surface in a suitable medium, laying down the transfer surfaceupon a planographic plate, transferring the letter-press matter from thetransfer surface to the plate, bringing the plate and a series oftransfer surface line bars into contact, transferring the matter fromthesaid plate to the line bars. making such substitutions, additions,subtractions, transpositions, or other changes in the line bars as maybe desired to bring the matter to the desired final form, and thentransferring the matter from the said transfer surface line bars to aunitary planographic plate.

2. The method of producing a letterpress planographic printing platewhich comprises placing letter-press matter upon a transfer surface in asuitable medium, transferring the matter from the said surface to aunitary planographic-plate, preparing said plate for printingplanographically, taking impressions from the said plate to be used inreading proof, taking an impression from the said plate upon a series oftransfer surface line bars, placing upon a transfer surface lines ofcharacters embodying desired changes for those originally composed inwhich changes are to be made, transferring the matter from the saidtransfer surface to a unitary plate, preparing said plate for printingplanographically, taking an impression from the said plate upon a seriesof transfer surface line bars, substituting the said line bars embodyingthe changes for the corresponding original bars, assembling the saidbars into a form, bringing a unitary planographic plate into contactwith the surface of said bars, transferring the matter from the saidbars to the said plate, and preparing said plate for printingplanographically.

3. The method of producing 'a letterpress planographic printing platewhich comprises placing letter-press matter in line series upon atransfer surface, bringing said transfer surface into definite relationto a planographic printing plate, transferring the letter-press matterfrom the said transfer surface to the printing plate. preparing the saidprinting plate for printing planographically, bringing a series oftransfer surface line bars into definite relation to said plate so thata line of characters will be in register with each of the line bars,impressing the matter from the said plate uponthe said bars in atransferable medium, transferring the letter-press matter from the saidbars to a unitary planographic plate, and preparing said plate forprinting planographically.

4. The method of producing a letterpress planographic printing platewhich comprises placing letter-press matter in line series upon atransfer surface, bringing the said transfer surface into definiterelation with a planographic printing plate, transferring theletter-press matter from the said transfer surface to the planographicprinting plate, preparing said plate for printing planographically,taking impressions from the said plate for use in proof reading,bringing a series of line strip transfer surfaces into definite relationto said printing plate so that each line strip may receive theimpression of a line of characters from the said plate, bringing theseries of line strips and a planographic printing plate into contact,applying pressure to the said surfaces so that the transfer surfaceswill adhere to the plate, detaching the said surfaces from the linestrips leaving them adherent upon the plate, damping the said transfersurfaces and plate, stripping the transfer strips from the plate leavingthe lines of characters adherent upon the plate, and preparing saidplate for printing planographically.

5. The method of producing a letter-press planographic printing platewhich comprises placing letter-press matter in line series upon atransfer surface, bringing the said transfer surface into definiterelation with a planographic printing plate, transferring theletter-press matter from the said transfer surface to the planographicprinting plate, preparing said plate for printing planographically,taking impressions from the said plate for use in proof reading,bringing a series of line strip transfer surfaces, detachably carriedupon line bars, into definite relation to said printing plate so thateach line strip may receive the impression of a line of characters fromthe said plate, placing upon another transfer surface in their changedform the lines of letter-press matter in which changes are desired,bringing the said lines into definite relation With the planographicprinting plate, transferring the said lines to the said printing plate,preparing said printing plate for printing planographically, bringing aseries of line strip transfer surfaces into definite relation With saidplate so that each line strip may receive a line of characters,impressing the letter-press matter from the said plate upon the saidtransfer surface line bars, substituting the last-mentioned line barsfor the corresponding line bars in the series of line bars so that thesaid series Will then represent the letter-press matter in the desiredfinal form, assembling the said transfer surface line bars into a form,bringing a planographic printing plate into contact with the surfaces ofthe said line bars, applying pressure to the said surfaces so that thetransfer surfaces may adhere to the said plate, detaching the saidtransfer surfaces from the supporting line bars and leaving themadherent upon the surface of the plate, moistening the transfer surfacesand the plate, stripping the said strips from the plate, and preparingthe plate for print ing planographically.

6. The method of producing a letter-press planographic printing platewhich comprises placing letter-press matter in line series upon atransfer surface, bringing said transfer surface into contact with ametal plate, transferring the letter-press matter from the transfersurface to the plate, and preparing the said plate for printingplanographically, transferring the matter from said plate to a transfersurface, transferring the matter from said transfer surface to a secondplate and preparing said second plate for printing planographically.

7. The method of producing a planographic print-ing plate Whichcomprises placing a line of characters upon a transfer surface,transferring the same to a line bar, and transferring said line againfrom the line bar direct to a unitary planographic printing surface.

8. The method of producing a planographic printing plate Which comprisesplacing a line of characters upon a transfer surface, transferring sameto a line bar having a detachable transfer surface, and transferringsaid line of characters from said detachable transfer surface direct toa unitary planographic plate.

9. The method of producing a planographic printing plate Which comprisesplacing the lines of a composition upon a series of line bars havingdetachable transfer surfaces, making substitutions of corrected forincorrect lines, and such other changes a may be necessary to bring thecomposed matter into correct final form and simultaneously transferringthe corrected series of lines simultaneously to a unitary planographicprinting surface by means of 1sJaid detachable transfer surface of theline ars.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

AUGUSTE L. SALTZMAN.

Witnesses:

JOHN D. MORGAN, CLARA PHILLIPs.

